Transport for new homes – are we building sustainable development or mini-America?

4th December 2018

In the 1970s whilst still at school, I became interested in what made for a successful suburb. We lived in North West London in the heart of Metroland and I travelled to school by London Transport. Having tasted the freedom that public transport gave, a group of friends discovered a new activity at weekends. This was the exploration of Greater London using the tube and bus to visit completely different places where other people lived.

We came from a nondescript 1930s suburb with privet hedges and tree-lined streets. Setting off from our local tube station we travelled to investigate inner Victorian suburbs, new estates and tower blocks. We walked around residential areas in the very centre of London and contrasted them with affluent suburbs at the end of the tube line. We discovered hidden parks and urban nooks and crannies; we found cosy communities with local shops and cafes, and equally places that were without facilities and devoid of character.

Around this time, I discovered in my local library, the plan for Milton Keyes which spanned across several volumes. Through these volumes I was introduced to the subject of town planning and spent hours looking at maps to show the way housing would be laid out, and how municipal facilities and parks would be incorporated into communities. For reasons beyond detailed recollection I was steered away from a planning course I had spotted at South Bank Polytechnic. Instead I was to study science and my first degree was in Biochemistry from Imperial College. I finally ended up in computer research and development but the planning bug never quite left.

Years later after having moved to the south west and raised a family, the planning interest surfaced again. This time however planning came in combination with another much-related theme – sustainable transport. I had always been a user of public transport and cycled on an everyday basis. I joined Campaign for Better Transport and before long was submitting extensive objections to Local Plans on the grounds that the choice of where and what to build completely neglected public transport considerations or a proper walking environment. I saw instead edge-of- town sprawl develop around a skeleton of new roads, roundabouts and car parks, with public transport and pedestrian and cycle links hardly part of the picture. A spell living in the States made me even more aware of what was happening in the UK, and the sedentary life styles, the alien environment for pedestrians and cyclists, and the traffic jams that would follow.

Back in England at Local Plan ‘Examinations in Public’ I was thought to be a well-intentioned but slightly barmy campaigner as I spelt such risks out.

In 2016 it was suggested by the Foundation for Integrated Transport that I might start a project that combined planning and transport together, and I decided that the focus should be on new homes. There were many fine (albeit often vague) words about sustainable transport in government policy and local plans. The idea of Transport for New Homes was to visit a whole range of large scale new home developments with particular view to transport and everyday living. We would photograph new places, speak to local people, walk about, use the public transport, and try out walking to local facilities. The project visited over twenty sites in England. We also toured four developments in the Netherlands.

The results of our findings are now collated in a summary report. The report is orientated around six themes:

Car-based living

Homes not properly connected for pedestrians, cyclists or buses

Public transport opportunities missed

Importance of mixed land use

Advantages of the new urban quarter

Insights from the Netherlands

We also carried out desk top research about each place and its planning history in the form of a ‘profile’, and researched extensively into the mechanisms of a system that seemed often to fail to combine new homes and sustainable transport together. Transport for New Homes has run a number of events and there are more to come – out Web sites carries the details.

*This blog first appeared on the Transport Times website in November 2018.

Event Details

In the UK, many new housing estates lack public transport links, safe cycle routes… and sometimes even pavements! What lessons can we learn from the Netherlands? Hear speakers from the

Event Details

In the UK, many new housing estates lack public transport links, safe cycle routes… and sometimes even pavements! What lessons can we learn from the Netherlands? Hear speakers from the Netherlands and the UK and join in the discussion. Wine and light refreshments will be served.

Event Details

Transport and public health remain at the top of the policy agenda, with growing political will to drive change in towns and cities. The Government recognises the importance of transport

Event Details

Transport and public health remain at the top of the policy agenda, with growing political will to drive change in towns and cities. The Government recognises the importance of transport choices in creating healthy places and is committed to supporting local economies, boosting activity levels and cutting carbon emissions.

There is an urgent business need for local authorities to deliver high quality sustainable transport measures that enable healthier lifestyles and demonstrate cost-effective good practice. This national event is supported by Department for Transport, Department of Health and Public Health England and will provide a must-attend event for anyone working across these disciplines.

Event Details

National policy objectives, from public health to planning to transport, recognise the need for the integrated and strategic planning of housing and transport to support the delivery of cleaner,

Event Details

National policy objectives, from public health to planning to transport, recognise the need for the integrated and strategic planning of housing and transport to support the delivery of cleaner, more active and less car-dependent communities. However, the practical mechanisms to implement such outcomes need urgent review.

Evidence collected in a variety of recent reports, including Transport for New Homes (Foundation for Integrated Transport, 2018), and Location of Development (RTPI, 2018) highlight a typical lack of sustainable transport integrated into new housing developments. This event will explore what needs to change, and how such change can be embedded in an evolving planning framework:

Session 1: The Big Picture: Where are we now, and where do we want to be? Where does the planning system need review to support sustainable, integrated transport options?

The Transport Knowledge Hub is a fantastic resource and I’m really excited about the opportunity to explore how we can maximise its use among transport stakeholders. In the South East Midlands, investing in local transport infrastructure has unlocked significant economic growth. The Hub offers a formal framework for sharing expertise with decision makers around the UK, as well as learning from the experience of others. This will enable more investment to be directed towards local and sustainable forms of transport.

Event Details

In the UK, many new housing estates lack public transport links, safe cycle routes… and sometimes even pavements! What lessons can we learn from the Netherlands? Hear speakers from the

Event Details

In the UK, many new housing estates lack public transport links, safe cycle routes… and sometimes even pavements! What lessons can we learn from the Netherlands? Hear speakers from the Netherlands and the UK and join in the discussion. Wine and light refreshments will be served.

Event Details

Transport and public health remain at the top of the policy agenda, with growing political will to drive change in towns and cities. The Government recognises the importance of transport

Event Details

Transport and public health remain at the top of the policy agenda, with growing political will to drive change in towns and cities. The Government recognises the importance of transport choices in creating healthy places and is committed to supporting local economies, boosting activity levels and cutting carbon emissions.

There is an urgent business need for local authorities to deliver high quality sustainable transport measures that enable healthier lifestyles and demonstrate cost-effective good practice. This national event is supported by Department for Transport, Department of Health and Public Health England and will provide a must-attend event for anyone working across these disciplines.

Event Details

National policy objectives, from public health to planning to transport, recognise the need for the integrated and strategic planning of housing and transport to support the delivery of cleaner,

Event Details

National policy objectives, from public health to planning to transport, recognise the need for the integrated and strategic planning of housing and transport to support the delivery of cleaner, more active and less car-dependent communities. However, the practical mechanisms to implement such outcomes need urgent review.

Evidence collected in a variety of recent reports, including Transport for New Homes (Foundation for Integrated Transport, 2018), and Location of Development (RTPI, 2018) highlight a typical lack of sustainable transport integrated into new housing developments. This event will explore what needs to change, and how such change can be embedded in an evolving planning framework:

Session 1: The Big Picture: Where are we now, and where do we want to be? Where does the planning system need review to support sustainable, integrated transport options?